Breathe Again
by LyricsArePoetry
Summary: COE day 4, what if normal air was the antidote?


For Paula - Merry Christmas!!!

Breathe Again

'If there's a Virus there must be an anti-virus' Ianto said insistently to the 456. He needed to keep his voice level, he needed to appear to be fine. He had gone through too many things since joining Torchwood he wasn't about to show this thing how scared he was. He had to appear to be brave even though he was sure he wasn't going to make it out of this alive.

The 456 didn't answer. Ianto got this feeling they were mocking him, like they were just waiting for him to die. He wished Jack was there, if he was going to die he didn't want to die alone. He tried to hold his breath, but that was a human impossibility. Why wasn't Jack with him? Where had he ran off to?

PLD

Captain Jack Harkness was desperate, and for once in his long life he wouldn't let pride get in the way of showing that. He had to find a way to get Ianto out of this building. He had to find a way to stop Ianto's death. He knew he should try and save everyone else in the building, he knew they all had lives and people who loved them, but at that time all he could think about was saving Ianto. Everyone he found he asked if they could override the system, stop the lockdown. But no one did. For the millionth time since her death Jack wished Tosh was here, she'd be able to over ride it and get everyone out. And he wished that Owen was there because he would be able to work out an anti-virus. He had lost both of them and he wasn't about to lose Ianto, he was too important. Too special, too young.

'I can' Jack swung away when he heard a voice. He saw a man wearing an orange suit standing in front of him. He continued 'Give your friend this' he passed Jack a large tube, which Jack quickly realised was an oxygen tank. 'I can over ride the lockdown, assuming I can make it to a computer in time' Jack looked at him for a moment 'Go' he said urgently. 'If you want to save your friend take that and go, get him to the nearest door'

Jack nodded his thanks and ran back towards Ianto. A glimmer of hope ran through Jack, but it only lasted momentarily. Yes he could get to Ianto and give him the oxygen. Yes that man may be able to override the lockdown. Yes he could get Ianto out. But then what? He still didn't have an anti-virus. He still didn't have a cure. He didn't know if he'd have long enough to get Ianto to a hospital once they were out. He was sure on one thing though, he wasn't about to give up.

He reached Ianto only a moment later. Ianto was still standing, still conscious, but only just.

'Jack?' Ianto looked shocked to see him.

'I'm here' Jack said, struggling to breath himself. 'Take this' he put the mask over Ianto's face. Ianto tried breathing through it but it wasn't much help.

'It's too late, Jack' he said, quietly 'I've already breathed the air'

'I'm going to get you out of here' Jack grew ever-more determined when he realised that Ianto had given up all ready. He _wasn't _going to giveb up. He _wasn't _going to let Ianto die. He _would _save him. 'Come on' he got Ianto to lean on him and they started to walk towards the way out. After only a moment of walking it felt like Jack was dragging Ianto rather than helping him walk. When he looked at Ianto he was as pale as a ghost. Jack bent down and gathered Ianto into his arms. The first couple of steps were a struggle but after that Jack got used to the weight and was able to walk normally.

Once they reached the door it was already open. He was successful, Jack thought and smiled slightly, but the smile soon vanished as he realised that man would've died straight after overriding it. The few people who were still conscious were crambling to get out. Jack stepped around them carefully. The coolness of the breeze hitting his face was a slight comfort to Jack. But he still didn't know what to do next. He continued walking with Ianto in his arms, aiming towards the hospital, which he knew was at least half a mile away.

He didn't get that far. He bared got passed the building they had come out of when Ianto started coughing. Jack paused and looked down at him in amazement, Ianto looked straight back up at him.

'You did it' Ianto said.

Jack put Ianto down, just noticing that the Oxygen mask wasn't over his face. 'I didn't do anything' he said bewildered. 'All I did was get you outside...'

'Maybe that was it' Ianto said, still feeling slightly weak. 'Maybe all I needed was to be outside'

'They were killing people by contaminating the air' Jack said, more to himself as a trail of thought that to Ianto. 'so the antidote was clean air. But that doesn't explain why the oxygen didn't work'

'Think about it, though' Ianto said 'the air out here isn't clean. It isn't pure. It's been contaminated by fumes, CO2 and other things, but it's what our bodies our used to. Everyday this is what we always breathe. The air in that building was contaminated with a virus and the air out here obviously neutralised it.'

'That makes sense' Jack said. 'The 456 wouldn't have expected anyone to have gotten out. They wouldn't have expected anyone to get the antidote, because they had locked them in'

'And once again an alien underestimated the human race' Ianto added.

Jack simply smiled as he pulled Ianto into a hug before kissing him passionately. A single, relief filled tear falling from his eye as he did so.


End file.
